Last night I watched Solo: Lost at sea.
The story of Andrew McAuley's attempt to become the first person to kayak 1600 kilometres from Australia to New Zealand has been made into a documentary.
Totally worth a watch, such a shame he didn't quite make it being so damn close.
Available online here: topdocumentaryfilms.com/solo-lost-at-sea/
Condolences to the family.
I didn't title the documentary... I know he knew where he was... dang he was brave though... I start to get nervous swimming 1km out from shore, imagine sleeping in the middle of the Tasman in a Kayak at night in a massive storm!
It is definitely worth watching and very sad that he got so close and didn't make it.
However, in the end he left behind a wife and young child and watching the end of the doco I just ended up being angry that he even attempted it. Courageous attempt at pushing the boundaries of human endurance/ selfish and irresponsible? I don't know but it left a sour taste in my mouth.
I am amazed that he set off without trialling the design of his bubble. It would have been so easy to just paddle around the harbour a few times in crap weather and roll it over a few time to see if it worked.
The whole story is more an observation of the amazing survival capabilities of the human body and dumb luck. He never actually did anything skillful or clever to ensure his survival. He just bobbed along in his kayak and suffered a lot.
I agree the fiberglass bubble after thought looked a little "insecure"... when I saw it I thought to myself a sliding mechanism on rails would have been better... like a sliding hatch.
doggie: u'd sleep after rowing for 16hrs.
But what a horrible way to go, 4 weeks of to torture then drowning... he didn't really sound too well either.
knigit: I'm sure his wife knew what he was like; there's just some things people feel they have to do... and it's people like him, pushing the envelope that allows us to know what's humanly possible.
Those that make it have distinguished positions in the annals of history, like Sir Edmund Hillary... every year around 8 people die (10%) climbing mount Everest.
In the climbing world there are a heap of dumb ****s who do amazing things and get away with it through pure luck. (Joe Simpson comes to mind. Spending food money on dope. Arriving with crampons that don't fit. etc etc)
Then you get the intelligent skilful climbers who plan their climbs and attack it carefully and retreat at the right time and just do it all right.
Not too sure where the freaks like John Muir fit in. (Just nip up to the summit of Everest. Stop at 7000m for a fag and to scrounge some of the leftover gear from other expeditions. Ring hs mum from the top then stroll back down.)
